Weapons of Mass Distraction

Instructions: Rather than assigning an essay, please find below three short answer questions. Please answer all three on the basis of having heard Christina Nemr’s presentation on 9/4 and read her report (with William Gangware), Weapons of Mass Distraction. Your three answers in total should be approx. 5000 words (5-6 pages). Please submit your answers by 5pm on Monday, September 21st, by clicking on the link above. What is “disinformation” and how does it differ from related concepts such as “misinformation” and “propaganda”? Do you agree with the definitions provided by Nemr and Gangware? Say why or why not. How does disinformation work (i.e. how precisely does disinformation exert the effects that it does on audiences)? Is there any evidence to suggest that disinformation circulated by violent extremists and terrorists works differently from disinformation circulated by other actors? What are the implications of your answer for counterterrorism policy? What is the GIFCT? In your assessment, under what conditions might the GIFCT be effective in countering extremist disinformation? In turn, what is the likelihood that it will indeed be effective? https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Weapons-of-Mass-Distraction-Foreign-State-Sponsored-Disinformation-in-the-Digital-Age.pdf